Exit Polls are banned in India, before Last Voting of Any Election, Exit Polls are Illegal before Last Voting of Any Election in India

Exit Polls are banned in India, before Last Voting of Any Election, Exit Polls are Illegal before Last Voting of Any Election in India

भारत में किसी भी चुनाव के अंतिम मतदान से पहले एग्जिट पोल पर प्रतिबंध है।

In India, exit polls are indeed regulated to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. The Election Commission of India (ECI) imposes a ban on the publication of exit polls during the period when voting is ongoing. Specifically, the prohibition begins from the start of polling in the first phase of the elections and lasts until the end of polling in the final phase. This rule applies to both general elections and state assembly elections.

The legal framework for this regulation is provided by the Representation of the People Act, 1951. According to Section 126A of the Act, conducting exit polls and disseminating their results through any medium (print, electronic, or other) during the restricted period is prohibited. The aim is to prevent the potential influence of such polls on voters who are yet to cast their ballots.

Violating these provisions can result in penalties, including imprisonment and fines, as stipulated under the Act. This regulation ensures that voters are not swayed by predictions and maintain their autonomy and confidentiality while voting.

Therefore, the ban on exit polls in India before the conclusion of the last phase of voting is a legal measure designed to uphold the fairness and impartiality of the election process.

Section 126A in The Representation of the People Act, 1951
126A. Restriction on publication and dissemination of result of exit polls, etc-

(1)No person shall conduct any exit poll and publish or publicise by means of the print or electronic media or disseminate in any other manner, whatsoever, the result of any exit poll during such period, as may be notified by the Election Commission in this regard.
(2)For the purposes of sub-section (1), the Election Commission shall, by a general order, notify the date and time having due regard to the following, namely:–
(a)in case of a general election, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the poll in all the States and Union territories;
(b)in case of a bye-election or a number of bye elections held together, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on and from the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the poll:
Provided that in case of a number of bye-elections held together on different days, the period may commence from the beginning of the hours fixed for poll on the first day of poll and continue till half an hour after closing of the last poll.
(3)Any person who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both.
Explanation.— For the purposes of this section,–
(a)”exit poll” means an opinion survey respecting how electors have voted at an election or respecting how all the electors have performed with regard to the identification of a political party or candidate in an election;
(b)
“electronic media” includes internet, radio and television including Internet Protocol Television, satellite, terrestrial of cable channels, mobile and such other media either owned by the Government or private person or by both;
(c)”print media” includes any newspaper, magazine or periodical, poster, placard, handbill or any other document;
(d)”dissemination” includes publication in any “print media” or broadcast or display on any electronic media.